ricin

[rahy-sin, ris-in]

noun Chemistry.

a white, poisonous, protein powder from the bean of the castor-oil plant.

Origin of ricin

1895–1900; < New Latin Ricinus name of genus, Latin: castor-oil plant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ricin

Contemporary Examples of ricin

Walter returns to the house to retrieve the vile of ricin he hid there in the previous finale.
‘Breaking Bad’ and TV’s Five Most Shocking Flash-Forward Scenes
Kevin Fallon
August 12, 2013
Could a mind-boggling vendetta be behind the ricin letters sent to Obama and Wicker?
Paul Kevin Curtis and J. Everett Dutschke: Epic Feud and Ricin Letters
Winston Ross
April 25, 2013
What happened besides the Boston Marathon bombing, ricin attacks, and the massive Texas explosion?
Overlooked Stories of the Week: Torture Report, Venezuela & More
Nina Strochlic
April 20, 2013
Once again, cable news channels are wall to wall with bombing and ricin coverage.
Washington Unnerved by Boston Bombing, Ricin Letters: Echoes of 9/11
Lauren Ashburn
April 18, 2013
He also had an encounter with Roger Wicker, one of the recipients of the ricin letters.
A Few Things to Know About Paul Kevin Curtis, the Crazy Ricin Suspect
Josh Dzieza
April 18, 2013

Historical Examples of ricin

By George, though, that Paoli must be a clever one—think of his knowing about ricin.
The Silent Bullet
Arthur B. Reeve

British Dictionary definitions for ricin

ricin

noun

biochem a highly toxic protein, a lectin, derived from castor-oil seeds: used in experimental cancer therapy

Word Origin for ricin

C19: from New Latin Ricinus genus name, from Latin: castor-oil plant

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for ricin

poison obtained from the castor-oil bean, 1888, from ricinus, genus name of the castor-oil plant (1694), from Latin ricinus (Pliny), of uncertain origin, perhaps the same word as ricinus "tick" (in sheep, dogs, etc.).

ricin in Medicine

ricin

[rī′sĭn, rĭs′ĭn]

n.

A poisonous protein that is extracted from the castor bean and is used as a biochemical reagent.

ricin in Science

ricin

[rī′sĭn, rĭs′ĭn]

An extremely poisonous protein extracted from the castor bean. Ricin inhibits protein synthesis in cells, and is used as a biochemical reagent and in cancer research.